List of Hot Adult Contemporary number ones of 1985
# List of Hot Adult Contemporary number ones of 1985

Adult Contemporary is a chart published by Billboard ranking the top-performing songs in the United States in the adult contemporary music (AC) market. In 1985, 19 songs topped the chart, then published under the title Hot Adult Contemporary, based on playlists submitted by radio stations.

In the year's first issue of Billboard the number one song was "Do What You Do" by Jermaine Jackson, which was in its third week at number one. It held the top spot for a single week in 1985 before being replaced by "All I Need" by actor Jack Wagner, best known for his role as Frisco Jones on the soap opera General Hospital. While continuing his acting career, Wagner released several albums in the 1980s. Two acts tied for the highest number of weeks at number one in 1985, each spending six weeks atop the chart. Kool & The Gang spent six consecutive weeks at number one with "Cherish", the longest unbroken run at number one during the year. British singer Phil Collins spent three weeks in the top spot with "One More Night" and the same length of time at number one with "Separate Lives", a duet with American vocalist Marilyn Martin. The only act other than Collins with more than one number one in its own right was the family group DeBarge, who topped the chart with both "Rhythm of the Night" and "Who's Holding Donna Now", although Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder each achieved one solo chart-topper and also reached number one as part of the charity supergroup USA for Africa.

Collins was one of a number of British acts to top the chart during 1985, as the American music market continued to feel the effects of the so-called Second British Invasion. Another was Wham!, whose song "Careless Whisper" spent five weeks in the top spot. In the duo's native United Kingdom, the song was released as a solo single by frontman George Michael, but the group's American label took the decision to release it under the name Wham! featuring George Michael. It was one of several of the year's AC chart-toppers which also reached number one on Billboard's all-genres listing, the Hot 100. Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love for You" was a triple chart-topper, reaching the top spot on the Hot 100, the AC chart and the Hot Black Singles listing. Stevie Wonder's "Part-Time Lover" went one better, topping the same three charts and also the Hot Dance/Disco Club Play listing. USA for Africa's "We Are the World", a charity single intended to relieve starving people in Africa, particularly those feeling the effects of a lengthy famine in Ethiopia, became the fastest-selling American pop single in history and dominated radio airplay. As a result, it topped the Hot 100, Hot Adult Contemporary and Hot Black Singles, as well as the Hot Dance/Disco 12 Inch Singles Sales chart. The final number one of 1985 was "Say You, Say Me" by Lionel Richie, which occupied the top spot for the final four weeks of the year.

## Chart history

Key :

| † | Indicates best-performing AC song of 1985 |
| - | - |
| Issue date | Title | Artist(s) |
| January 5 | "Do What You Do" | Jermaine Jackson |
| January 12 | "All I Need" | Jack Wagner |
| January 19 | "All I Need" | Jack Wagner |
| January 26 | "You're the Inspiration" | Chicago |
| February 2 | "You're the Inspiration" | Chicago |
| February 9 | "Careless Whisper" | Wham! featuring George Michael |
| February 16 | "Careless Whisper" | Wham! featuring George Michael |
| February 23 | "Careless Whisper" | Wham! featuring George Michael |
| March 2 | "Careless Whisper" | Wham! featuring George Michael |
| March 9 | "Careless Whisper" | Wham! featuring George Michael |
| March 16 | "Too Late for Goodbyes" | Julian Lennon |
| March 23 | "Too Late for Goodbyes" | Julian Lennon |
| March 30 | "One More Night" | Phil Collins |
| April 6 | "One More Night" | Phil Collins |
| April 13 | "One More Night" | Phil Collins |
| April 20 | "We Are the World" | USA for Africa |
| April 27 | "We Are the World" | USA for Africa |
| May 4 | "Rhythm of the Night" | DeBarge |
| May 11 | "Smooth Operator" | Sade |
| May 18 | "Smooth Operator" | Sade |
| May 25 | "Suddenly" | Billy Ocean |
| June 1 | "Suddenly" | Billy Ocean |
| June 8 | "Axel F" | Harold Faltermeyer |
| June 15 | "Axel F" | Harold Faltermeyer |
| June 22 | "The Search Is Over" | Survivor |
| June 29 | "The Search Is Over" | Survivor |
| July 6 | "The Search Is Over" | Survivor |
| July 13 | "The Search Is Over" | Survivor |
| July 20 | "Who's Holding Donna Now" | DeBarge |
| July 27 | "Who's Holding Donna Now" | DeBarge |
| August 3 | "Who's Holding Donna Now" | DeBarge |
| August 10 | "Everytime You Go Away" | Paul Young |
| August 17 | "Everytime You Go Away" | Paul Young |
| August 24 | "Cherish" † | Kool & the Gang |
| August 31 | "Cherish" † | Kool & the Gang |
| September 7 | "Cherish" † | Kool & the Gang |
| September 14 | "Cherish" † | Kool & the Gang |
| September 21 | "Cherish" † | Kool & the Gang |
| September 28 | "Cherish" † | Kool & the Gang |
| October 5 | "Saving All My Love for You" | Whitney Houston |
| October 12 | "Saving All My Love for You" | Whitney Houston |
| October 19 | "Saving All My Love for You" | Whitney Houston |
| October 26 | "Part-Time Lover" | Stevie Wonder |
| November 2 | "Part-Time Lover" | Stevie Wonder |
| November 9 | "Part-Time Lover" | Stevie Wonder |
| November 16 | "Separate Lives" | Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin |
| November 23 | "Separate Lives" | Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin |
| November 30 | "Separate Lives" | Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin |
| December 7 | "Say You, Say Me" | Lionel Richie |
| December 14 | "Say You, Say Me" | Lionel Richie |
| December 21 | "Say You, Say Me" | Lionel Richie |
| December 28 | "Say You, Say Me" | Lionel Richie |
